Quotation Analysis Essay (for my english class) By ~>DcFan<~

Q.A. #4: “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Paul Valery

In my opinion, this quote means that you cannot expect for your dreams to come true if they only stay in your mind. Imagination is a good thing because it is where dreams begin, but that is not where they come true. Your dreams come true when you begin to take the physical and mental actions necessary for them to evolve. My first example comes from the novel, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. In the story, the young Oliver is sold to the undertaker as a punishment for daring to ask for more food at the orphanage. He runs away from the undertaker and meets the Artful Dodger who introduces him to Fagin and Mr. Sikes who were known as thieves in London. This momentous choice leads to a series of events that ultimately cause Oliver’s dream to become reality in that he finally gets to reunite with his family. Oliver was somewhat an inspiration because he never gave up, given the pressure of his surroundings. Another example comes from, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. In the story, Maya overcomes adversity, prejudice, and even the extreme trauma of being raped by her mother’s boyfriend at the age of eight. Her dream, to triumph over these obstacles as well as to discover her identity, is realized. This happens when she starts to exercise her beliefs in religion, and the “quiet stoicism” of men like Gandhi. She also learns that she has a gift of expressing herself in the written word as well as in profound communication. These are traits that she uses throughout her life in refusing to submit to her “tripartite” enemies. The words and thoughts that she so expressively imagines are not kept inside, but shared. The sharing of her gifts with others, friend or foe, is the action she takes to realize her dreams. My third and final example comes from the book by Victor Villa Señor entitled Rain of Gold. In this book, Villa Señor gives an account of his paternal as well as maternal roots and how the migration of his family and others from Mexico to the U.S. came to be. Essentially, the book speaks of turmoil and hardships that existed in the day to day living/survival of the people in the community of the so called, “Rain of Gold” region. The reason why the region was referred to as the, “Rain of Gold” was because of the waterfall that existed at the top of the canyon. The waterfall as well as when it rained, would make the side of the canyon shine like gold due to the specks of gold embedded into the rocks. Victor’s father Juan and his mother Lupita, though only children, were forced to leave their beautiful, “Lluvia de Oro” because of the revolution. Rather than to be killed, and/or go hungry because of the government or revolutionaries taking everything, they had to leave. So, they did. This journey was not an easy one. Many died trying to realize their dream of a better life. Juan and Lupita Villa Señor, who in spite of famine, war, etc were able to realize their dream of coming to the “promised land”. In my opinion, these stories relate to this quote in a significant way. All of the protagonists in each of these stories come to realize their dreams. They do so, not just by imagining what they can do to overcome their adversities, but by actually doing the footwork required to achieve their heroic goals.

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